Dr Thomas Webb
Senior LecturerResearch Overview
Tom is interested in administrative justice in the field of mental health, particularly the work of Hospital Manager Panels and the Mental Health Tribunal.
Tom is also interested in systems theory approaches to law, particularly complexity theory and autopoiesis.
Research Interests
Mental health law, public and administrative law, complexity and autopoietic systems theory.
Web Links
Law school staff page: www.lancs.ac.uk/law/Tom-Webb/
Current Teaching
2012 - Present
Law 102x/213x Public Law
Career Details
Tom received his LL.B (Hons) in 2009, and PhD in 2013, both from Lancaster University. Since September 2012, Tom has worked at Lancaster University Law School.
Additional Information
Tom is the Director of Assessments in the Law School.
PhD Supervision Interests
UK public and administrative law. Mental health law. Systems theory and law - especially complexity theory and autopoiesis.
Selected Publications
Local, democratic community justice in the Mental Health Act 1983
Webb, T. 30/09/2023 In: Legal Studies. 43, 3, p. 523-542. 20 p.
Journal article
Uninformed Reform: The Attempt to Abolish the Hospital Managers' Section 23 Discharge Power Under the Mental Health Act 1983
Webb, T.E. 1/02/2019 In: Medical Law Review. 27, 1, p. 79–107. 29 p.
Journal article
Essential Cases: Public Law (5th edition)
Webb, T. 1/09/2022 5th ed. ed. Oxford : Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780191948909. Electronic ISBN: 9780191948909.
Book
The Drafters' Dance: The complexity of drafting legislation and the limitations of 'Plain Language' and 'Good Law' initiatives
Webb, T.E., Geyer, R.R. 1/06/2020 In: Statute Law Review. 41, 2, p. 129–158. 30 p.
Journal article
Encountering Law's Complexity
Murray, J., Webb, T.E., Wheatley, S.M. 30/07/2018 In: Complexity Theory and Law. London : Routledge p. 3-22. 20 p. ISBN: 9780415786096. Electronic ISBN: 9781315158976.
Chapter
Vulnerable bodies, vulnerable systems
Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos, A., Webb, T. 12/2015 In: International Journal of Law in Context. 11, 4, p. 444-461. 18 p.
Journal article
All Publications
OUP Public Law Teaching Related Outputs
01/10/2017 → …
Other
Essential Cases: Public Law
03/10/2016 → 03/10/2017
Other
OUP Public Law Updates
01/10/2015 → …
Other
Law and Systems Theory Network
02/05/2011 → 02/05/2014
Research
Resilience and the Vulnerability of the Legal System
Invited talk
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 as a Research Tool in the Social Sciences
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Mapping the Hospital Managers’ Discharge Power using the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Invited talk
Legal Complexity, Myth and Certainty
Oral presentation
A postcode lottery? Initial Findings of a Freedom of Information Act 2000 study on the Administration of the s.23 Hospital Managers’ Discharge Power.
Oral presentation
Complexity theory and liberty safeguards in the Mental Health Act 1983
Invited talk
The implications of complexity thinking: Where do we go from here?
Invited talk
Thinking about complexity and law in mental health
Invited talk
Should the Mental Health Act 1983 s.23 Hospital Manager Discharge Power be Retained?
Oral presentation
Swept Along by the Winds of Change: The History of the Hospital Managers’ Discharge Power
Oral presentation
Lay Justice and Discharge from Compulsory Mental Health Care
Oral presentation
Association of Law Teachers Annual Conference 2016
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Heirs to Luhmann Workshops: Vulnerability Across Bodies and Systems
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
A Jurisprudence of Complexity? Rethinking the Relationship between Law and Society
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Constitutional Conventions Symposium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
LSA Annual Conference 2015, Seattle
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
SLSA Annual Conference 2015, Warwick
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Stretching Luhmann
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Social and Legal Studies (Journal)
Editorial activity
Complexity and the law
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Journal of Politics and Law (Journal)
Editorial activity
SLSA Annual Conference 2013 - Systems Stream
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
SLSA Annual Conference 2013 - Systems Stream
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference 2016
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Socio-legal conversations across systems in a world in crisis
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
SLSA Annual Conference 2012 - Systems Stream
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
SLSA Annual Conference 2012 - Systems Stream
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
SLSA Annual Conference 2011 - Systems Stream
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
SLSA Annual Conference 2010 - Administrative Law Stream
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
CILHR Centre for International Law and Human Rights
CILHR Centre for International Law and Human Rights
- Centre for Law and Society
- FASS Health Hub